When to go, month by month

Dry seasons: Jan to Feb, and Jul to Oct when the migration herds are in the Mara. Long rains Mar to May, short rains Nov.

Dry season Jun to Oct for the northern and southern parks, plus Jan to Feb for the calving on the southern Serengeti plains.

Dry seasons, Jun to Sep and Dec to Feb: firmer trails for gorilla treks in Volcanoes and clearer forest mornings.

Dry seasons, Jun to Aug and Dec to Feb: less mud on the steep Bwindi and Mgahinga trails. Rains Mar to May and Sep to Nov.

Cape Town is dry Nov to Mar, Kruger is dry May to Sep. Apr to May and Sep to Oct suit a Cape and Kruger trip in one go.

Dry season, Jun to Oct: thin bush and game at the rivers, the months for walking safaris in South Luangwa. Oct is very hot.

Dry season, Jun to Oct: game at Hwange waterholes and on the Zambezi at Mana Pools. The Falls flow lower but clearer from Sep.

Dry season, May to Oct: game gathers at water and the Okavango flood peaks Jun to Aug. Rains Nov to Mar, heaviest Jan to Feb.

Long dry season Jun to Oct and the hot dry spell of Jan to Feb. Long rains Mar to May, when many beach lodges close.

Apr to May and Oct to Nov, the calm spells between the two trade winds: light winds, warm seas and clear water for snorkelling.

May to Jun and Sep to Dec are dry and warm, Oct the driest month. Jul to Aug is cool and windy, Jan to Mar brings cyclone risk.

The tourism office's ideal months in the Apr to Oct dry season. Jul and Aug are dry too, in whale season. Cyclones Nov to Apr.

Northeast monsoon, Dec to Apr: the driest, sunniest months with calm seas and the best visibility. Southwest monsoon May to Nov.

Oct to Apr: Nile valley highs of 23 to 35°C for temple days. May to Sep passes 39°C in Luxor. Dec to Feb is coolest and busiest.

Spring, Mar to May, and autumn, Sep to Nov: warm days for medinas and the Sahara. Jul to Aug can reach 40°C inland.

The cooler season in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with warm days and mild evenings. From late May to September highs reach the 40s.

The cooler season, when the beach, desert trips and eating outdoors are comfortable. Summer highs pass 40°C.

Winter days average about 25°C, good for the beach and the desert. From late May to September highs reach about 45°C.

Doha's cool season, with mild days for the desert and the Corniche. June to September is very hot.

Sep to Mar, the Foreign Ministry's ideal season; Nov to early Mar is the mildest. Salalah's khareef runs mid-Jun to Sep.

Spring is when all three regions line up: Hanoi warming up, the central coast dry and the south in its dry season.

KL and the west coast are driest Jan to Mar and Jun to Aug, missing the inter-monsoon storms. The east coast is wet Nov to Mar.

Warm all year. February is the driest month and November to January the wettest, so we aim for February to August.

The cool, dry season suits Bangkok, the north and the Andaman coast. From March it turns hot, with smoke haze in the north.

The dry season, April to October by the tourism ministry. BMKG puts its start in April or May and its peak in July and August.

Spring blossom and autumn leaves, either side of the June to July rainy season, the summer heat and the typhoon peak.

The south and west coasts are dry outside the May to September monsoon, and the cultural triangle is driest January to April.

Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle between the monsoon and the hot season, with dry, sunny days. Dec and Jan nights are cold.

Summer, when both roads into Leh are open and the high passes are clear. Snow shuts the Manali road from about October to May.

Spring rhododendrons and clear autumn skies, either side of the June to September monsoon. Oct and Nov give the best views.

Spring and early autumn: mild for Istanbul and Cappadocia, warm on the coast, without the July and August heat and crowds.

Spring and early autumn are mild in Baku and the Caucasus foothills. July and August are hot in Baku.